We recently bought a Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker (ICE-25 Series). It makes ice cream in 25 minutes!! Of course the problem is that now making ice cream is just too, too easy. Want ice cream for dessert tonight? No problem. Want ice cream for lunch? No problem. I’ll just whip some up…

In fact, just the other day Gary asked if there was any ice cream and I said, “No, we’ve had ice cream twice this week already.” His reply was classically male: “Are there rules about how often you can have ice cream?” I made more.

I have to back up for a moment and talk about one of the things I find amusing about new purchases. The instruction booklets seem to get more and more explicit about possible dangers. I guess manufacturers have to guard against any possibility of getting sued. So…our ice cream maker comes with these cautions, among others:

1.Do not place cord, plug, or base of appliance in water.

2.This appliance should not be used by or near children or individuals with certain disabilities.

3.Do not use the freezer bowl on flames…

4.DO NOT immerse the motor base in water.

5.Do not disassemble the base.

Okay, now that we are safe, on to the ice cream making. The reason the ice cream maker operates so quickly and easily is because the freezer bowl contains a “cooling liquid” inside its double walls. The freezer bowl is kept inside your refrigerator freezer until you get ready to use it. In fact, before you use it the first time it is best to make sure it has been in the freezer for a couple of days. Anyway, this eliminates the use of ice and salt.

Then there are a hundred variations, and we plan to try at least fifty of them!! My granddaughter has already given her seal of approval to the “peanut butter cup ice cream”. I may have to try that next week!

(Note: I wrote this at 6am, but had to wait until 10 to post because of a storm. Gotta love satellite internet!)

Gary and I were talking the other day about our current animal problem. Buddy, a stray cat, has decided to live here. Yes, I tried ignoring him and NOT feeding him. That lasted a week and he was still here and getting very skinny. So, now he is fed daily and is fat and annoying! He whines, jumps on the screens (even tore one) and scares our housecat. He takes swipes at Gary every chance he gets and has scratched him three times now. The other day when I got a hammer from the shelf and took it across the patio he went crazy- jumped up and grabbed it and then hissed. Yes, I’d say he has been abused and is afraid of his own shadow. Now we just have to see if he can get over it and settle down, or we have to find another home for him.

We have lived in the country for fifteen years (two different houses) and have always had animal problems. We’ve had strays- cats, dogs, cows, even horses take up temporary residence. We’ve had critters raid the garbage and tear up the garden. We’ve had predators- coyotes, wild dogs- kill our cats. And little things like snakes, scorpions, spiders, and wasps manage to find their way into the house from time to time just to make life more exciting.

However, all it takes is a phone call to remind me that my animal problems are NOTHING compared to the people problems created by NEIGHBORS.

We had neighbors at our old house. My cousin lived across the road, and while his dogs drove me crazy, and I told him so, he was still family. If he did something really annoying I asked him to stop, and if I needed something I knew he would help me, and vice-versa.Our other neighbor was a wonderful friend and Christian lady I would trust with my life. I also, technically, have neighbors now- although they live about a quarter of a mile away. In an area this small and close-knit I’m not sure I could move anywhere without already knowing my neighbors or at least knowing someone who is related to them.

No, I’m talking this morning about city neighbors- those people who live next door that you don’t know, don’t understand, and probably don’t like. I lived in the city for twenty+ years and I know those neighbors! I don’t miss them one bit!

One of my children is having problems with those neighbors. Apparently semi-nakedness and lewd public displays of affection are “normal” in the neighbor’s family. So is cursing and yelling and name-calling. My mother used to call those people “white trash”, a term which incidentally originated in the 1820’s and means lacking social status. These days I refer to them as lacking any social graces! The big problem with city neighbors like those is that you can’t just talk to them. First of all, you might put yourself and your family in danger. Second, it is unlikely they will respond positively to any requests for a change in their behavior. And, unless their behavior is against the law, they may just escalate it in order to annoy you more!

The problem in city neighborhoods and suburbs is that it’s easy to get a false sense of camaraderie. After all, you are living in the same neighborhood, in houses that are about the same price, in an area where your kids all go to the same school. Easy to get the idea that you have common values. NOT. I’m a very friendly person and I like to assume people are good until they prove otherwise. However, in the city it is always advisable to be a little cautious. The elderly widower next door is just as likely to be a drug dealer or a registered sex offender as the guy across the street who drives a Lexus and goes to work in a suit. Remember what they always say when they finally capture the serial killer? “He seemed like such a nice guy, always smiling and helpful.”

I’m not saying you have to do a full background check on your city neighbors, but I’d be careful about inviting them over for a barbeque until you really get to know them. I can count on one hand the number of city neighbors I’ve had who were ever invited inside my home. I’ve had a lot of friendly front yard discussions and over-the-fence relationships, but I draw the line at offering someone carte blanche access to my home or family just because we share a street. Perhaps that isn’t a good attitude, but it has served me well. Here is short list of some of the less-than-wonderful neighbors we’ve had over the years:

1.Party girl- Her idea of fun was to invite fifty of her closest friends over to enjoy very loud music and pot smoking until the wee hours of the morning. I finally had to call the police one night when they really got out of control.

2.Absent parents- They left their children at home to wander the neighborhood and play with the other children all day. Unfortunately they figured out rather quickly that I was at home with my children and assumed that meant free food and babysitting!

3.Angry couple- They screamed at each other day and night, inside and outside of their apartment. The day we moved out he finally killed her. I was just thankful we were watching it on the news across town.

4.Wild child- My children all remember the four-year-old boy who shot up the neighborhood with his father’s pistol, ransacked our house, and disappeared for hours at a time.

5.Friendly guy- He had so many people in and out of his house at all hours of the day and night that you would think he was giving something away- or perhaps selling it.

6.Hot rod- We like cars, but this guy didn’t know what a muffler was and certainly didn’t care about anyone getting any sleep.

7.Drinking buddy- This guy always had a beer. He was willing to share, but no thanks. For some reason it never occurred to him that no one else was drinking in the front yard!

8.*&^%$- This woman had a mouth on her that would make a sailor blush, but she didn’t seem to care that my young children were playing in the yard. She yelled at her dog, her kids, her husband.

So, there you are- another reason why I love living in the country. My neighbors could be partying in their front yard naked, drinking a beer, and screaming obscenities and I wouldn’t know it!! LOL

Today is my brother's birthday. Dan is a great guy and I hope he has a wonderful day! I won't even tell how old he is, except to say that there will be more than 50 candles on his cake.

I have never been really close to my younger brothers. David and I are only four years apart and grew up together. I spent a few more years with Dan and James, but I was married and out of the house by the time Dan was ten. John was just a toddler. However, they are still mine and they are young enough to take care of me when I'm old and frail! :)

I do remember enough about Dan and James to wonder why either one of them know their own name. They are only eleven months apart and everyone in the family just called them "the boys". Mary, David, and "the boys". Poor things! Strangers often mistook them for twins.

Here are some cute photos I pulled out of my files. (Yes, that's Karen with the boys when they visited us in CA. And that's John on a tricycle next to them.)

I’ve been working on a little project that might interest you. It’s been rather frightening for me, but perhaps in a good way. I’ve been compiling a family “health history” so that my doctor and I can see patterns of illnesses and conditions. I can tell you right now that my grandchildren might as well prepare for hypertension and headaches, because I can’t find a generation that hasn’t been plagued by both!

It’s rather alarming to see how many members of our family have also had heart problems or cancer, but it also serves as motivation to take better care of myself and get regular screenings. I suppose that is really the whole purpose of the project. You can’t protect against something until you’re aware of it.

I have noticed something good- most of the women in my family have lived well into their eighties or nineties. I plan to do the same.

If you haven’t done so already, this might be a good time to start your own family health history. It’s helpful to do it while you have elders who can remember things. I almost waited too long to write down some of mine. My grandparents are already gone, but luckily I have some aunts with good memories.

I would encourage you to try to go back at least four generations if you can. It helps establish patterns. It may also be helpful to you if you look at your first cousins. Our health is the result of genes and lifestyle. At least we have control over one of those! For more information see medical history.

Last night Gary and I enjoyed our first taste of one of summer’s delights- watermelon. I must admit that Gary loves watermelon and I could take it or leave it. Tastes good, but seldom seems worth the trouble and expense. Well…let me just say that after reading about watermelon this morning, I have a new respect for it! And after growing our own for the first time in years, I’m no longer concerned with the expense.

I knew that watermelon is good for us, since it is a fruit, but I didn’t know that watermelon contains vitamins C, A, B6, and B1, plus potassium, thiamin, and magnesium. It also has lycopene , and citrulline which benefit eyesight and blood flow. Combine those benefits with the fact that it is low in calories and watermelon becomes the perfect summer treat!

Watermelon is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, and is related to cucumbers, cantaloupe, squash, and pumpkin. They can be round or oblong, striped or solid colors. The inside can be orange, red, pink, yellow, or nearly white. Some are seedless. My grandfather, John Springer, grew acres of watermelons. I remember them piled high in the front yard, waiting for customers. They were huge and juicy sweet. They sold for 25c each. I challenge you to find a decent watermelon today for less than $3! Most are $6. I bought seeds for $1.25 and when they didn’t seem to be sprouting, I bought a plant for $1.50. Both survived quite well and we now have three huge vines and ten watermelons.

The big question with watermelons is always “Is it ripe?” I mean, we can’t see inside unless it is cut. The guidelines all say that one side should be lighter, almost yellow. It should be heavy. It should be slightly dull in color. If you are picking it off the vine, the little curly tendrils should be turning brown. I probably picked ours about a week early. It was good, but I’m sure the next one will be better.

While researching watermelons this morning I found two interesting recipes and a wonderful cooking site! I’ve always heard that you can fry anything, but I consider “fried watermelon ” pushing the edge!! You can look at the recipe and decide for yourself. However, I definitely think “watermelon lemonade ” is worth a try. I recently had blueberry lemonade and it is now one of my favorites.

And we can’t leave this subject without looking at watermelon carving . Oh, my goodness! These are people with lots of patience, skill, and imagination. Don’t look for one of these centerpieces at my next picnic! And don’t overlook the title-“Watermelon Carving Made Easy!” Are they kidding????

I AM a gardener. I say that with conviction, despite current evidence to the contrary. It occurred to me today that I am not a gardener because of my beautiful garden. I am a gardener because my garden is a mess of weeds and Bermuda grass and I fail to let that keep me from continuing in my quest for a beautiful garden. I may fail, but I will try, try again.

We don’t often confess to having weeds and Bermuda grass unless we find ourselves on one of those “makeover” shows. I’d love to have that happen about now! Let the work crew show up with their gloves and tools so I don’t have to clean up the results of three weeks of absence and neglect. But the truth is that I didn’t have things completely under control before my vacation. So now some areas of the garden may just have to be unsightly until the first frost! A woman can only do so much.

I have some great photos to post, but they remind me of the Brad Paisley song “Online” where he talks about how much better he is on MySpace than in reality. I’m not saying my flowers aren’t beautiful, but in the interest of balance I am also posting my “garden of shame” photos of my front flower bed covered in Bermuda grass, my sweet potato vines that just won’t grow, and my wild garden plot that is becoming a jungle!

I like lists. I make “to do” lists. I make grocery lists. I make school lists. Today I decided to make a list of the things that give joy to my life. I had a rough night- pain, insomnia, more pain- so I need a little reminder this morning of the good things in life.

1.Sunrises. The sunrise always makes me smile and starts my day with joy. It is always beautiful, yet always different. I took a photo last week. This morning’s was a little more subtle and less photographic, but still a reminder that God is in control and has given me a new day to enjoy. I spent the night in pain, but I’m here again and I’m walking. A miracle to appreciate.

2.Friends. I have been thinking about my friends more and more lately because several of them have been going through medical tests and tough family situations. I pray for them and they pray for me. We are all in this together! How can you not feel joy when other people take the time and spend the energy to concern themselves with your life?

3.Brothers. I have a dysfunctional family. My brothers and I are not terribly close. We’ve had some challenges over the years. We’ve set our lives along different paths. But they are still mine, and I love them. I pray that they make better choices as they get older and that they find joy and peace. Their children and grandchildren have brought joy to my life beyond measure!

4.Family. My little family brings me joy each day! Even though I am far from my children and grandchildren physically, I feel like we are close emotionally. I love them dearly and I thank God for them each day.

5.Gary. My husband is loving, supportive, understanding, and generous. His confidence in me gives me the courage to try new things and make it through tough times. He gives joy to my life in the daily things he does- reading my blog, pouring my coffee, asking about my day.

6.Gardening. I picked some cucumbers and tomatoes last night. I mowed a portion of the lawn. I trimmed some dead flowers. I pulled some weeds. I was exhausted when I finished, but as I looked around I realized that being outside and tending to my little corner of the world brings me joy. I love being outside and God has placed me in a home where I can be outside as often as I wish.

7.Neighbors.My closest neighbors came to swim in the pond last night. They honked and waved as they went through the gate. My neighbor from the other side of the road stopped me in the post office the other day and showed me a beautiful wildflower calendar he has made. It has given me such peace and joy to live next to these wonderful people! I no longer fear violence and pain from my neighbors, as I did for years. I no longer dread the shouting and anger or the arrival of police cars. Peace in the neighborhood is a gift from God!

8.Critters. As I write this I hear the braying of my neighbor’s mules (donkeys?). “Peace” in the neighborhood refers to a peaceful heart, not the peace of silence! Lol We often hear the sounds of mules, coyotes, birds, cows, dogs, and horses. Last night I heard the angry growling of two raccoons. I rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a bagel, and threw it out the back door to distract one of them. Yes, I’m crazy! Tonight I will remember to put dog food out in two, or even three places, to prevent such disagreements. Yesterday I watched a rabbit nibbling on something in the garden. There is plenty to share, so I just enjoyed watching him. A bird has built a nest in the corner of the patio so I check on her babies each day. Animals bring joy to my heart because they make me realize how carefully God planned the world.

9.Work. Yes, I said it. Work brings me joy! It doesn’t matter if I’m working on a community project or working in my yard or working at school. I am thankful to be physically able to work. I am thankful to have a career that makes me happy. It gives me joy to have a purpose in life.

10.Words. Reading and writing words brings me joy. I’ve only read half a dozen books this summer, but I’ve enjoyed each one. I love communicating with other people through email, blogs, and Facebook. I love television and movies. Words are the window to the soul. Words are the wings of inspiration. Words are the first step toward peace.

I hope you find joy today! I already feel better. I’m off to the garden to enjoy my white cleome. I’ve never had one before and I plan to save the seeds.

Yesterday I moved the dining room table. I’m not sure why I did it. I was just vacuuming and decided to turn it in the opposite direction. It actually gives me more space near the kitchen bar, so I think I’ll leave it for a while. Gary’s reaction was amusing. When it was time for dinner he started to sit in his old chair, but didn’t like that because it is now near the window. He stood there for a moment. Finally, I said, “Sit in the same place in the room; you’ll just be in a different place at the table.” Okay, that worked.

I’ve made some other little changes lately:

Don’t ask me why, but when the guys hooked up Gary’s computer they left the extension cord at an odd angle in front of my writing desk. I’ve stepped over it all summer. Yesterday I finally shut down the computer, unplugged the cord, and moved it behind my desk where it belongs. Don’t know why I waited so long to do that!

I unplugged our second refrigerator before we left for vacation. With Robert gone we just didn’t need it anymore. It seemed wasteful to have a second appliance going just so we could keep cold drinks and vegetables in it.

I finally gave away my electric stove. I need a new stove, but have decided to stay with gas. Our four-year-old electric stove had been sitting on the back porch for two years, not serving anyone, so I gave it away. Now I have much more space out there!

I removed the bulky storage boxes from the extra room and put them in Gary’s hobby area. They were too big and actually kept me from placing a bed in there like I want to do. Now Gary has more storage space and I can go ahead with creating a guest room. I’ve already purchased two little book shelves for the extra room and I’m happy with the new arrangement.

I finally mailed my blue jar to Karen. Long story, but my old kitchen was blue, blue, blue. My new kitchen is green, green, green. However, I had this one tall dark blue storage jar that I had hung onto for years. Don’t even remember where I got it. For the last two years, since we moved, it has been sitting on my counter and I have planned to send it to Karen because she collects blue jars. Did it! She called yesterday to tell me how happy she is to have my jar in her kitchen.

Gathered up a box of things that have just been taking up space, and donated them to the upcoming silent auction (a town fund raiser). This is a great idea that we came up with last year. We take used but still good items and create “baskets” or “bundles” with them. So my Christmas plate and someone’s Christmas cups and someone else’s Christmas placemats are grouped together, wrapped in cellophane, and become an item to be auctioned off. Great way to clean and give to charity!

I’ve been making other tiny changes- moving pictures, replacing photos, buying new plants. I think I do these things because I’ve moved so much. I have an internal expectation of change. However, I also think change is good because it makes us think and causes us to react to our environment in different ways. I remember one of my complaints about Mom’s house was that she hadn’t changed the photos on the wall in twenty years! There are some photos on my wall that probably won’t move until I repaint the wall, but there are others that I change each year.

A little change is a good thing. It gets us out of our rut. It makes us look at other things in our life and consider new possibilities. Life evolves.

As I sit here pondering what to write this morning I can hear our President talking to reporters about health care reform. We talk a lot about health care in this nation. The trouble is that we don’t do much to “reform” it. We all seem to agree that what we have doesn’t quite work, but even the experts don’t agree on what to do about it.

A prime example of what needs to change was brought to my attention just last week. Gary had to have a simple lace-up ankle brace to wear for a few weeks until the muscles and tendons in his ankle are stronger. He had a prescription from his doctor and got one at the local medical supply store. Bill to Medicare- $81. We later saw the same brace hanging on a rack at the local pharmacy for $16.99. Now I have absolutely no expertise in this area, but I’m thinking something is wrong! Reminds me of the fiascoes in military spending that have been brought to our attention in recent years.

I don’t want to have a government-managed health care system because, so far, they don’t have a very good track record for managing anything, including the government. If you want a preview of how they would manage healthcare, take a long look at the VA system. I don’t want to spend three hours in a waiting room and see a different doctor each time I have a problem. I want the option to choose my own doctor and make decisions about my medications and tests and surgeries. However, I do think there are some things that need to be regulated by someone, somewhere, just to make sure the poor and elderly aren’t getting mistreated or cheated. And I have the crazy notion that health care should be free for any child under five, regardless of which parents they happen to get stuck with.

I think it benefits all of us as a society if our poor, elderly, and children are getting proper health care. We will save money in the long run because we won’t have so many people in emergency rooms and nursing homes. I think it benefits all of us if people aren’t afraid to go to the doctor! I don’t want the clerk at the grocery store to tell me, as she is coughing all over my purchases, that she just can’t afford to go to the doctor! I want her to be able to go to the doctor without losing her job, and without missing a car payment.

The problem with all of this is that real healthcare reform gets down to an ugly, ugly truth that none of us wants to face. We all have the ability to take better care of our bodies and most of us don’t.I’m fat. I eat too much and I don’t exercise enough. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol and I don’t do enough to control either one. I take my medicine and cut down on fat and salt, but I could do so much more. I’m blessed to have a super immune system and I very seldom get sick. So if I really took care of by body and controlled my weight I would save myself and the healthcare system a lot of money! I could get by with my annual checkup and a few tests, instead of seeing my doctor three times a year. I think it’s safe to say that most people in this country could do a better job of taking care of their own body so someone else doesn’t have to do it!

As usual I haven’t solved a thing with my thoughts this morning. But perhaps at least for today I will be a little more aware of the part I play in this problem. At least for today I will try to walk a few more steps and drink more water and eat more vegetables and skip my afternoon snack. At least for today I will remember that health care is first and foremost my own responsibility.

Gary went back to work this morning. I know it will be a difficult day for him as he adjusts physically to the cement floors and mentally to the stresses of a day in retail. I know, too, that he has missed some of the people at work and is anxious to tell them about our vacation. Gary likes people and enjoys interacting with them. That’s one of the reasons he is good at his job.

My own return to work is just a couple of weeks away. This has been one of the best summers I’ve had in years, but I’m beginning to miss my colleagues and my students. I miss the structure of the year and the daily routine of my classroom. I miss the challenges of each day. I’m a workaholic at heart and I admit it.

Gary has told several of our friends that this summer has been a “preview of his retirement” and he loved it. However, the reality is that I will probably work for several years after he retires. I worry about him being “home alone” and I’ve encouraged him to work part-time for as long as he is able. I think he will stay healthier- physically and mentally- if he is actively engaged with other people.

As we’ve discussed all of this I’ve started looking around at our friends who are already retired. I’ve noticed that the happiest and healthiest ones are those who are doing community or church work, or are committing themselves fully to a hobby. We all talk about the happy day when we “stop working”, but I think the truth is that when we truly stop working at anything and just sit down, we stop living. And for some people that is literal. I think that’s why we read about men who have a heart attack and die just months after their retirement party!

So, even though I haven’t been idle this summer, I am ready to go back to my real work. And even though Gary will be tired tonight, I think he will also be happy to be working again. We still have a few miles left in us!